Known in the prior art are many devices which can direct an object and maintain the aim thereof towards a source radiating electromagnetic energy and/or are capable of indicating and recording how an object is aligned towards a radiating source.
Exemplary of the prior art are the devices and systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,352,556, Chaskin; 3,675,925, Ryan et al; 3,792,535, Marshall et al; 3,964,178, Marshall et al; 4,063,368, McFarland et al; and 4,185,825, Bromley. However a careful review of each of said patents reveals that a need still and clearly exists for a device of the type described which is comparatively simple to construct and operate, which is small in size and of low weight, and which, utilizing an available aiming aid, for instance a telescopic sight, can determine, indicate and record (without use of photographic technique or TV video recording) the aim of an object toward a target at a defined instant or during a defined time interval.
The present invention, as will be discerned from a careful consideration of the following description and illustration of an exemplary embodiment thereof, meets that need and fulfills that object and such other objects as may hereafter appear in a remarkably unexpected fashion.
More particularly, the present invention utilizes the interrelationship between a target provided with a source radiating electromagnetic energy, within or close to visible frequency range, an aimable object, a conventional aiming aid, for instance a telescopic sight, disposed upon the aimable object, means for detecting the electromagnetic energy from said energy source, a plurality of energy sensing components strategically disposed to discriminate between a variety of energy waves reflected thereupon; means to reflect said detected energy to said energy sensing components; and means translating the response of said energy sensing components into a visible pattern which indicates whether the aim at the moment of firing is exactly at the center of the target and, if not, the deviation therefrom.